Collaborative
Learning
Learning outcomes
⚫ To consider the role of collaborative learning
⚫ To examine some collaborative learning
approaches
⚫ To consider some aspects of educational
debate
⚫ To be aware of changing aspects of teaching
and learning
Curriculum issues
Prescriptive Curriculum Experiential Curriculum
Teacher-centered Student-centred
Linear & rational Coherent & relevant
Part to whole organisation Whole to part organisation
Teaching as transmitting Teaching as facilitating
Learning as receiving Learning as constructing
Structured environment Flexible environment
Teaching vs learning
John Amos Comenius, a 16th
Century scholar; summarised the
approach that teaching should
follow, “The main object is to find
a method by which teachers
teach less but learners learn
more”, proving that current
problems have noble pedigrees.
Collaborative learning
“Collaborative learning is an umbrella term for a variety of
educational approaches involving joint intellectual effort by students,
or students and teachers together. Usually students are working in
groups of two or more, mutually searching for understanding,
solutions or meanings, or creating a product.
Collaborative learning activities vary widely, but most center on
students’ exploration or application of the course material, not
simply the teacher’s presentation or explication of it”.
Smith and McGregor (1992)
Educational goals
⚫ Involvement
⚫ Co-operation and
teamwork
⚫ Community
responsibility
Assumptions about learning
⚫ Learning is an active constructive process
⚫ Learning depends on rich contexts
⚫ Learners are diverse
⚫ Learning is inherently social
Approaches
Collaborative learning
Co-operative learning
Writing groups
Peer teaching
Learning communities Problem-based learning
Discussion groups
RQ
Widespread use
⚫ Based on theory and validated by research
⚫ Amount, generalisability, breadth and
applicability
⚫ Variety of co-operative learning methods
available
Why use cooperative learning?
⚫ promote student learning and
academic achievement
⚫ enhance student satisfaction
with their learning experience
⚫ help students develop skills in
oral communication
⚫ develop students' social skills
⚫ promote student self-esteem
⚫ increase student retention
⚫ develop a community of learners
5 Elements of cooperative
learning
1. Positive interdependence
2. Face-to-face interaction
3. Individual and group accountability
4. Interpersonal and small group skills
5. Group processing
Positive interdependence
⚫ Each group member's efforts
are required and indispensable
for group success
⚫ Each group member has a
unique contribution to make to
the joint effort because of his
or her resources and/or role
and task responsibilities
Sink or swim together!
Face-to-face interaction
⚫ Orally explaining how
to solve problems
⚫ Teaching one's
knowledge to others
⚫ Checking for
understanding
⚫ Discussing concepts
being learned
⚫ Connecting present
with past learning
Promote each other's success
Individual and group
accountability
⚫ Keeping the size of the group
small.
⚫ Giving an individual test to each
student.
⚫ Randomly examining students
orally.
⚫ Observing each group and
recording the frequency with
which each member-contributes
to the group's work.
⚫ Assigning one student in each
group the role of checker.
⚫ Having students teach what they
learned to someone else. No hitchhiking! No social loafing
No freeloading
Interpersonal and small group
skills
⚫ Social skills must be taught:
⚫ Leadership
⚫ Decision-making
⚫ Trust-building
⚫ Communication
⚫ Conflict-management skills
Mutual understanding
Group processing
⚫ Group members discuss
how well they are
achieving their goals and
maintaining effective
working relationships
⚫ Describe what member
actions are helpful and not
helpful
⚫ Make decisions about
what behaviours to
continue or change
RQ
Jigsaw Approach
Jigsaw Approach
Jigsaw approach
Approaches
Collaborative learning
Co-operative learning
Writing groups
Peer teaching
Problem-based learning
Learning communities
Discussion groups
Problem based learning (PBL)
PBL is a learning-centred pedagogy based
on current theories of learning including
constructivism, social constructivism and
situated learning.
PBL - an iterative process
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Read the
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EVALUATE
Identify learning Return-Reread-
issues Report-Review
Research-Learn Prof. H. Pross
Queens School of Medicine
Kingston, Ontario
Approaches
Collaborative learning
Co-operative learning
Writing groups
Peer teaching
Learning communities Problem-based learning
Discussion groups
Key Collaborative Learning Strategies
•Think-Pair-Share: Students think about a problem independently, discuss ideas with
a partner, and share with the class, encouraging deeper engagement and active
participation.
•Thinking Aloud Pair Problem-Solving (TAPPS): One student solves a problem
while thinking aloud, while the partner listens and provides feedback, fostering
metacognitive skills and verbalizing mathematical processes.
•Jigsaw Method: Small groups become "experts" on a specific part of a math topic
and then teach that part to members of other groups, promoting comprehensive
knowledge.
•Number Talks: Short, 5-15 minute classroom conversations where students discuss
different mental math strategies for a single, complex computation, with the teacher
recording their thinking.
•Group Roles & Structures: Assigning specific roles (e.g., facilitator, reporter,
recorder) within teams of three ensures equitable participation.
•Vertical Non-Permanent Surfaces (Whiteboarding): Working on whiteboards in
groups creates a low-stakes environment, encouraging students to make mistakes
and share "rough draft" ideas.
•Manipulatives and Games: Using hands-on materials (like linking cubes for place
value) or games (like geometry concentration) helps students build conceptual
understanding through collaboration.
Learning communities
⚫ Sociocultural and constructivist views of
learning (Lave & Wenger)
⚫ Two important questions:-
1. What social engagements and processes provide the ‘proper’
context for learning?
2. What forms of co-participation might be required when
engaging learners in these forms of learning.
Community types
⚫ Learning community: focus on learning together,
sharing, developing relationships
⚫ Communities of practice: focus on developing
professional practice
⚫ Community of enquiry: focus on enquiring about
and issue/area
⚫ Knowledge community: focus on developing
knowledge
Cyber communities
Teaching/learning
Face-to-face Blended Online
“…the cornerstone of an online community lies in the presence of
socially close, strong, intimate ties, the development of trust, shared
values and social organisation.
The quality of peoples’ relations is an important characteristic in an
online community
(This will be the modified role of the teacher as an e-moderator!)
E-Learning (teacher to moderator)
Salmon (2005)
References
⚫ Johnson, D.W. and Johnson, R. T. (1990) Cooperation and
Competition: Theory and Research, Edina, MN; Interaction Book
Company
⚫ Lave, J. and Wenger, E. (1991) Situated learning; legitimate peripheral
participation, Cambridge University Press
⚫ McConnell, D. (2006) E-learning groups and communities, SRHE/OU
Press
⚫ Salmon, G. (2005) E-moderating, Open University Press
⚫ Smith, B. L. & McGregor, J. (1992) What is collaborative learning? –
National Center on Postsecondary education